LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[ladowntowner]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Heh heh... there there, ThreeHundred.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by ladowntowner

^ I completely agree with your assessment.

I have a feeling it's going to come down to the wire with Park Fifth and Grand Avenue.

I mean think about it; if Related Co. knew this project had financial difficulties and was unlikely to break ground, wouldn't it make sense to convert the parking structure back into a parking structure that the public can start using it again ASAP?

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

I have a feeling it's going to come down to the wire with Park Fifth and Grand Avenue.

I mean think about it; if Related Co. knew this project had financial difficulties and was unlikely to break ground, wouldn't it make sense to convert the parking structure back into a parking structure that the public can start using it again ASAP?

No because with every large scale project, it's customary to do the usual soil tests and whatnot. People wouldn't normally close a high profile parking structure if nothing was going to happen. Even the most minute survey is required.

[colemonkee]

Originally Posted by Urban Sky

so far, one of my favorite projects out of LA right now....

It cheats a bit with the straw, but it's definitely one of the sweetest, and most nutritious, projects going up on LA at the moment.

ThreeHundred, that might be the best smiley I've ever seen. Ever.

On the subject of 8th & Grand, that's the site of the new South Park Flea Market on Sundays, so don't expect that project to start anytime soon. And like Westsidelife pointed out, don't expect any project that's not already out of the ground to start anytime soon.

However, you have to look at it from this perspective: we have 5 buildings over 20 stories currently under construction, which doesn't count the second Concerto tower, if that moves forward this year. On top of that we have a dozen or so conversion projects at various stages of construction or completion. That's a relatively large boom for a market that didn't have any construction activity for 20 years.

[BrandonJXN]

It makes me wet just looking at it.

And even though it's across the country, if you want to see what 8th and Grand (or Opus as it is now called) could look like barring any redesign which is a sin punishable by the most brutal from of torture ever given to a man (which would be looking at those Lindsay Lohan nude pics that are in the New York Spring magizine..freckles everywhere ), take a look at Aqua in Chicago.



8th and Grand MUST be built.

[DJM19]

Kinda what I imagined the Grand Ave tower would look like.

[Echo Park]

I actually dislike Aqua. And that probably doesn't make sense considering my love for 8th and grand but I think the wavy tower works in tandem with the smaller one.

[DowntownCharlieBrown]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

^

Has anyone heard anything about Park Tower? I seriously hope that thing gets built. It has probably the most striking design in DT. No one likes the 60's style cross sections but I do.

I'm with you on this one. Out the projects on the "Proposed" list, Park Tower is my favorite. (8th and Grand is my 2nd). However, I'm sure CIM is stuck working through the housing/credit mess with everyone else. And I believe Park Tower is on CIM's list to build after iHope. So this one is a long ways away.

While looking for updates on CIM's website, I discovered that is was CIM that starting the residential boom in South Park by converting the UPS building into the Flower Street Lofts.

From CIM website-

Observing the extent to which the construction of the STAPLES Center had begun to alter the center of focus toward the south, CIM concluded that the South Park district had the potential to develop the density of residential properties, street level dining, entertainment and shopping outlets that constitute the core of a successful urban neighborhood. Armed with a keen knowledge of the areas real estate assets, their owners, and other development opportunities in the vicinity, CIM partnered with The Lee Group of Los Angeles to acquire and develop the Flower Street Lofts adjacent to the newly designated Sports and Entertainment District of Downtown LA, home to the renowned STAPLES Center and LA Live Development. CIMs mezzanine financing and the adaptive reuse conversion of a vintage UPS warehouse created 91 contemporary condominium lofts. The early success of the sales program made Flower Street Lofts the bellwether for a resurgent residential housing market in downtown Los Angeles.

[Steve2726]

Another project with a similar wavy motif is the Icon Vallarta tower designed by Phillipe Starck:



http://www.iconvallarta.com/homeintro.html

[DJM19]

Thats also nice. Though to me it seems like a miami retirement mid-rise tower. I dunno...I just imagine leather-skinned old folk living there.

[colemonkee]

So I went to the doctor's office today to see if they had a cure for the Bubonic Plague that I somehow contracted, and saw that the Ritz Carlton is indeed well above ground. I was going to snap a picture, but by the time I got my prescriptions filled, it had started to drizzle, and I'm not ready to give the new camera a bath just yet.

There are several vertical beams that reach a good two stories high (and they are tall floors), and you can start to make out what looks like a steel core. Interesting that they're building this building out of steel, but a steel core too? Definitely not par for the course. Perhaps is has something to do with giving the building more flexibility in a strong earthquake.

[LAofAnaheim]

8th & Grand is my most anticipated project as well, sheerly b/c its a big deadzone when walking between 8th & Grand to 8th & Olive. Including the walk from 8th & Hope (where there is no street retail between Hope & Grand), it's a scary stretch. We need more projects filling the gaps between Hope and Hill and 7th & Olympic.

[BigDan35]

Are they building the Marriot and the Ritz at the same time? I can't quite figure out the construction that's going on right now...seems like there are a few different phases going on at the same time?

[DowntownCharlieBrown]

Originally Posted by BigDan35

Are they building the Marriot and the Ritz at the same time? I can't quite figure out the construction that's going on right now...seems like there are a few different phases going on at the same time?

It's one building, It has to be built at the same time. And I'm not sure the Ritz and the Marriott are even separated by the two wings. I believe they are only separated by floors. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[DJM19]

I have no idea what the layout it like. How many Ritz rooms are there? Cuz those upper floors also are devoted to condos right?

[ladowntowner]

Originally Posted by DJM19

I have no idea what the layout it like. How many Ritz rooms are there? Cuz those upper floors also are devoted to condos right?

A complete description of the project and layout here.

[JDRCRASH]

A near 1,000 room hotel. That sounds pretty good. Except San Diego already has 2 u/c, so we're a little behind in terms of of available vacancy during a convention only a block away.

[danparker276]

"On the subject of 8th & Grand, that's the site of the new South Park Flea Market on Sundays, so don't expect that project to start anytime soon."
Funniest thing I've ever read.
If they want to start it they'll run over those hippies with their bulldozers. I give the flea market another month or 2 anyway.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

A near 1,000 room hotel. That sounds pretty good. Except San Diego already has 2 u/c, so we're a little behind in terms of of available vacancy during a convention only a block away.

I'm confused as a dog. What?

[RuFFy]

I just got wind of a dog park in the arts district (from a reliable source). I'm inclined to believe it's a part of a future development. Does anybody know anything about this?